Posted on 09/02/2003 6:55:05 PM PDT by SavageRepublican
Five years ago tonight, a SwissAir MD-11 crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia.
The cause of the crash was later determined to be an electrical problem, started by faulty wiring in the entertainment systems in first class. Not long into the flight, transmissions from the cockpit indicated trouble, as the pilot first asked to turn around for a landing at Boston, and then realizing how serious the problem had become, requested an emergency landing at Halifax. They never made it.
Six minutes after the last word from the cockpit, the plane crashed into the Atlantic near the little fishing village of Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia. The impact registered on a seismograph 25 miles away.
229 people were aboard Flight 111 from New York City to Geneva. There were no survivors.
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One of my best friends, Jane DePledge, from high school (Concord-Carlisle HS, MA, Class of 1987) was on that flight, along with her brother and both of her parents.
FReepers, if you have ever felt bad about saying something you didn’t mean, something that hurt someone, tell them you’re sorry. I never had the chance to say that to Jane. Things got rough not long before graduation (long story), but dear God, you don’t know how much I regret what I put his poor girl through.
If you pray, remember tonight...
Jane DePledge (Manhattan, NY)
Michael DePledge (San Jose, CA)...computer engineer, btw, and co-holder of 6 patents with his dad
Norman and Caroline DePledge (Concord, MA).
....``We gather today in the presence of God to remember our loved ones, to acknowledge the emptiness we continue to feel because of their absence, to give thanks for their lives and to look forward to the future with hope,'' Padre John O'Donnell told the small group. .....
Jane DePledge (Manhattan, NY)
Michael DePledge (San Jose, CA)...computer engineer, btw, and co-holder of 6 patents with his dad
Norman and Caroline DePledge
I am so sorry. Prayers for Jane, Michael, Norman and Caroline.
Take Care, SavageRepublican
Got a long day tomorrow, so I'm off to bed...good night, and God bless...
.
It really is "a small, small, world".
Michael was one of those people who just was wonderful to be around. He was getting ready to graduate when Jane and I were freshmen, but I remember him as one of those people that EVERYONE just genuinely liked. He was one of the "smart kids", but he never lorded it over anyone, and he never felt the need to "act out" to disguise his intelligence the way I (regrettably) did.
diversion from topic: (In case you're wondering on this point because I brought it up...I was 3rd in a class of 330. Not that that means anything. My mother said I'd "cure cancer". I work as the assistant to the librarian at a branch university library in Missouri. Go figure. {Although at least it's the Engineering Branch, so there is job satisfaction, and quality people, for the most part, to work with. I love engineers!})
Back to the story: Michael was a genuine good guy, and everyone that I can remember, from the "geeky" kids, to the sports kids, to the so-called "popular crowd" liked him. He didn't need to be fake like the "popular" kids for people to like him, they just did, because he was a nice guy.
We were so happy for him when he got into RPI. I think Jane was a little sad about seeing him go off to NY, but she was still proud of him, and knew that it was a top-notch program where he could learn about the stuff that he wanted to do.
It's just so sad when good, decent people's lives are cut short so soon. I have looked back on the SwissAir incident so many times these past five years and wondered, WHY ? Dang it, just WHY?
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